Anion-exchange　membrane　fuel　cells　(AEMFCs)　are　a　promising　electrochemical　power　generation　technology　that　will　most　likely　find　applications　in　stationary　power　supply　and　mobile　applications　such　as　electric　vehicles　in　the　future.　One　of　the　main　technological　challenges　with　AEMFCs　is　developing　catalysts　with　improved　activities　to　reduce　the　current　over　-potential　losses　in　the　cell.　A　historically　underappreciated　challenge　for　AEMFC　catalyst　development　is　the　sluggish　hydrogen　oxidation　reaction　(HOR)　kinetics　at　the　anode　that　still　requires　high　loadings　of　platinum　group　metals.　Here,　we　demonstrate　that　the　alkaline　HOR　activity　of　palladium　nano　-particles　is　enhanced　through　strong　interactions　with　transition　-metal　oxides.　A　series　of　transition-metal　oxides　in　the　IV　oxidation　state　(ZrO2,　CeO2,　SnO2,　and　RuO2)　were　deposited　onto　Vulcan　XC-72　carbon.　Pd　nanoparticles　(20　wt　%)　were　then　grown　on　each　support.　This　series　of　catalysts　were　characterized　by　X-ray　diffraction,　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy,　and　high-resolution　transmission　electron　microscopy.　The　alkaline　HOR　activity　was　investigated　using　cyclic　voltammetry　and　linear　sweep　voltammetry.　Of　the　several　systems　that　were　considered,　Pd-RuO2/C　displayed　the　highest　HOR　surface-specific　activity　(49　mu　A　cm(Pd)(-2)).　It　had　an　onset　for　CO　electro-oxidation　at　around　200　mV,　which　is　lower　than　the　other　materials　analyzed　herein.　The　results　were　explained　using　first-principles　calculations　by　investigating　Tafel　and　Volmer　reactions.　These　results　suggested　that　increased　HOR　activity　is　favored　by　the　population　of　the　Pd　surface　with　OH-　groups　at　lower　overpotentials.　These　insights　are　valuable　for　the　future　design　of　next-generation　catalysts　with　high　activity　toward　alkaline　HOR　required　by　future　high-performance　AEMFCs.